The Wedding of Gourry Gabriev
by perch
Summary: Written for fanfic100. CH2: In which Gourry has a frank discussion about relationships with a Chimera. CH3: In which Lina has a guest and catches dinner.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: The Wedding of Gourry Gabriev **

**Fandom: Slayers **

**Characters: Lina, Gourry. **

**Prompt: # 96 Writer's Choice **

**Word Count: 1,417 **

**Rating:T**

**Summary: Chapter 1: In whichGourry receives a letter and announces he is getting married. **

**Author's Notes: I don't own Slayers or any of the characters that belong in this fandom. This ficlet is in no way making any form of profit.**

* * *

Gourry was getting married and it wasn't to me.

I never think of the day we'll part ways, the day when our partnership, our life together will end, almost like a divorce, though it was never a marriage. I mean, don't get me wrong I never thought of me and Gourry getting hitched you know. Okay, not really that often. I mean the guy has a jellyfish for a brain, but he's still amazing to look at and quite possibly the best swordsman currently alive. I know that women, lots of women, when given the chance notice him, but I never thought about the day when Gourry would not be here, be with me.

Gourry with his inane comments that make me want to smack him upside the head, which I tend to do often.

Gourry with his total lack of historical knowledge, that after tearing out some of my hair I always end up explaining to him, even though I know he's not really listening.

Honestly, I didn't expect Gourry to just bend this way, about getting married. One day he receives a missive that he won't let me read, goes over it once, rips it apart and then announces that he's getting married.

Yup, all been decided for him and Gourry is just going to go along with it!

After I finished laughing for a while and realized he was serious I asked him how he could be so stupid to go off and get married because his family has picked someone out for him and he looked at me and started up this babble about, "Well Lina, there comes a day when a man has to settle down and start up a family."

He was serious. And then he has the gall to ask me if I want to come with.

Ouch Gourry, way to kick a girl when she's down. Why not just say, "Hey Lina, I'm going to go marry some hottie, but first I want to parade you in front of her so she knows that I wasn't traveling with anyone she had to be worried about."

I mean what am I less then dust in the road?

Not that I care if Gourry is getting married, I'm just saying, I don't want to feel like stray baggage he picked up, or a puppy. Yeah, that'd go over great, why don't you introduce me to the future Mrs. Gabriev like that Gourry…

"Hey honey, this is Lina, I was thinking we could keep her. Don't worry, she's housetrained, but she eats like a pig."

Just thinking about it makes me want to smack him upside the head, so I did. Teach him to be parading through my subconscious.

"Ow Lina, what'd you do that for," he asked, a wounded expression on his face, "I was just asking if you wanted to come with me back home, sort of as a good-bye."

I couldn't refuse, but oh my god did I want to. I mean did he have no feelings? Couldn't he see how much this hurt? What? We'd been traveling companions for years, years! A girl gets protective of her partner. I mean, I'm just saying I always felt like I had dibs on Gourry and now I was walking him home so he could go get married to some complete stranger that his family had picked out.

Stranger….

"So Gourry, who is it exactly that you're going to be getting married to?" I asked all big eyes and innocent expression.

Gourry looked at me warily for a few moments, "Well gee Lina, the letter didn't say."

Great, just great, jellyfish brain was getting married to a woman he didn't even know the name of. What if it was Sylphiel? How could I be mad at her? I mean, she's known Gourry longer then I have and obviously always had a bit of a thing for him…

Argh! Don't think about it Lina! Just walk. Just keep right on walking until you march Gourry over to his folks and don't think about it. If he wants to go ahead and settle down to start a wife and…and family, that's his business. You always knew you wanted to keep on traveling the road and hadn't planned on settling down, you can't expect Gourry to always stay with you….but I did.

We walked on for a few minutes in silence our feet finding the road to his home.

"Hey Lina," He asked after a while, "you're not jealous are you, about me getting married and all?"

He mostly got out of the way of the fireball.

Nine days, five bandit camps, and one quick body guard job later we arrived at Gourry's family home. The place was massive and quite impressive. I had to stop and take a moment to let it all sink in. This giant mansion, with garden, farms and surrounding countryside was the Gabriev estates. This was where Gourry grew up.

I broke out into a cold sweat when a middle aged couple came out the front door waving and laughing. This is it Lina, all you have to do is escort Gourry to the front door and your partnership is officially over. No more Lina and Gourry, no more bandit camps, body guarding, saving the world together. It'll all be back to solo for you. Yup, I turned to my right to ask Gourry if he was ready, but he had already moved past me and was greeting his family with hugs and kisses.

I was left standing in the middle of the path alone and feeling a bit sorry for myself.

"Lina!" he yelled, turning back towards me, "what are you doing back there? Come meet my folks."

Oh great, now I get to meet the folks. This was not how I pictured meeting his parents. Then Amelia peeked her head out from behind a woman I assumed was his mother and called out, "Miss Lina, come join the party!"

Oh my, sweet, please tell me he's not getting married to Amelia. Please tell me he's not getting married to Amelia.

Then Zelgadiss squeezed his way around the other side of the opening and I let the breath that had been strangling me out. Whew. I mean, Zel wouldn't just stand there and let Amelia get married to Gourry right? Right? And then Filia was there and Sylphiel and Xellos and I was just confused.

How the hell could all these people have known about Gourry getting married? I never saw him sending out invitations and I can't imagine it's easy to track down Xellos by normal mail. I, wait, could this mean that Gourry was? That he was going to?

And then Gourry came towards me and smiled and held out his hand. At least he was smart enough not to kneel in front of me and I said as much while I whacked him upside the head.

"Ow Lina, what'd you go and do that for," he asked, his expression sad puppy.

"For scaring me half to death!" I yelled.

"Well how else was I going to get you to come out here?"

"You could have asked Gourry!"

He just shook his head at me, a sad expression marring his face.

"What? Don't you look at me like that! A girl likes to be asked to get married!" I yelled some more.

"Who said anything about getting married?"

And then I got to experience the sensation of having your heart ripped out of your chest. I'm pretty sure I heard Zel say ouch somewhere in the background and Amelia gasp. I'm not sure, since my vision swam a little bit.

"You did Gourry, you said you were coming home and getting married!"

"Right, I did, and I plan to."

Just not to me apparently.

"Lina are you okay?" he asked, something like genuine concern in his voice.

I couldn't believe he could treat me this way and then ask if I was okay. I couldn't even get the anger to cast Dragon Slave. I just knew I wasn't sticking around for this. Gourry could get married to whomever he liked, but Lina Inverse wasn't going to be around to be made a fool of.

I turned and cast Ray Wing ascending into the sky, deaf to Gourry's calls and the cries of the others, one hand rubbing my breast bone, the spot right below my heart, and I wondered if the pain would ever go away.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: The Wedding of Gourry Gabriev**

**Fandom: The Slayers**

**Characters: Gourry, Zelgadiss**

**Prompt: #97 Writer's Choice (fanfic100)**

**Word Count: 845**

**Rating: PG**

**Summary: Chapter 2: In Which Gourry has a frank discussion about relationships with a Chimera.**

**Author's Notes: I don't own the slayers and I'm not making any form of monetary profit from this piece of fanfiction.**

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The Wedding of Gourry Gabriev

Chapter 2: In which Gourry has a frank discussion about relationships with a chimera.

After Lina cast ray wing and flew away Gourry was left calling after her, his eyes watching her progress across the sky. Behind him pandemonium broke out as numerous people called out directions, suggestions and plans. Xellos disappeared without a word, while Filia and Amelia insisted they start searching for her.

After all the commotion died down Gourry was left with Zelgadiss and Sylphiel for company, all of them silent. It was Zelgadiss who approached the large blonde man first, placing one hand on his arm and nodding at him.

"Well, that didn't go as planned," Zelgadiss stated, his eyes also following Lina's fading figure, "but Gourry, I don't understand why you said that….Lina probably believes you don't intend to marry her."

Gourry raked his hands through his hair, a gesture as uncharacteristic for the man as the grim frown marring his face.

"I know Zel, it's just sometimes Lina, sometimes I wish she'd think of me too when she talks," he answered, his hands tightening in frustrations for a few more moments before he relaxed and smiled down at the other man.

"Well, now the question becomes how long should I wait before I go after her."

Zelgadiss crossed his arms and placed one hand on his chin, "now that is the number one question isn't it? You know Gourry for a man that was mad just thirty seconds ago, you are taking the last few minutes rather well, I must admit."

The bigger man shrugged, raising his hands in the air in the universal gesture of confusion.

"I don't know what to tell you Zel; I guess I'm pretty easy going there just doesn't seem to be any sense in getting worked up over everything."

"Getting worked up? Gourry, you were worked up not five minutes ago."

"I don't know Zel, I just know that I'll give Lina a few hours to calm down and then I'll go after her and get her to come back."

"Gourry, are you actually going to ask Lina to marry you?"

"That's the plan."

"After what just happened?"

"Well sure, why not? Lina and I have our differences, but I am her protector after all."

"And that means protecting her from spinsterhood?"

"No, I want to marry Lina. I mean, she's stubborn, she's rude, she can almost out eat me, she's not very developed, she's bad tempered, but she's Lina."

"You really do love her."

Gourry shrugged again before smiling and nodding.

"Do you really think she's going to want to just stay here? To settle down and have a couple of kids," Zelgadiss asked, cocking one eyebrow.

"Nah, Lina's not the settling down kind, but I figure we'll get a small place for between our adventures."

"A place to come back to," Zel said softly, his face closed for a moment, "well Gourry, if you can pull of convincing Lina I'll have to admit you're a lucky guy. You two will never get tired of each other to say the least."

"You're pretty lucky too Zel, I mean with Amelia."

"Well, that is, I don't know what you're talking about…Gourry, how would you know?" Zelgadiss practically sputtered, fidgeting in place with discomfort.

"Well, I don't know, I just sort of assumed that you and Amelia were getting serious with each other, I mean, you talk about me and Lina, but you two have known each other years too."

"It's more complicated then you and Lina."

Gourry stared at him with a look of complete incomprehension, making the other man look away in embarrassment.

"I mean, you and Lina, you're comfortable with each other. You wouldn't ever try to change Lina right?"

"Of course not, but Zel, Amelia isn't trying to change you either, at least I don't think she is…."

"N-no she's not, but I'm the one that wants to change. Gourry, look at me, what do you see?"

"I don't know Zel, I see you, a Zelgadiss."

"No Gourry, I mean yes, I'm Zelgadiss, but I'm a chimera too. All I've been searching for these last years is a way to turn myself back to human."

"But Zel, I don't think that Amelia cares that you're a chimpera."

"Chimera, Gourry, Chimera."

"Right, what you said. I think she likes you the way you are."

"The point is I don't like me as I am."

"Well Zel, you have to learn to like how you are, but I don't see how that's Amelia's fault. She didn't make you into a Chimercia right?"

"Chimera. No, Rezo did, but Amelia is a princess. She has responsibilities to a kingdom, to her people. I can't, I won't be living there as a freak and I can't ask her to come with me and abandon her responsibilities. Do you understand?"

Gourry nodded, the look on his face clearly indicating that he didn't understand in the slightest.

"Just forget it Gourry. The important thing right now is to find Lina right?"

"Right."


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: The Wedding of Gourry Gabriev**

**Fandom: The Slayers**

**Characters: Lina, Xellos**

**Prompt: #98. Writer's Choice**

**Word Count: 723**

**Rating: PG**

**Summary: In which Lina receives a guest and catches dinner.**

**Author's Notes: I do not own the slayers and am making no form of monetary or other profit from this piece of fanfiction.**

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The Wedding of Gourry Gabriev

Chapter 3: In which Lina receives a guest and catches dinner.

I didn't fly far before stopping for a break, landing at a small river along a bend, the pain in my chest a now constant throbbing I thought might never go away.

I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't know why I'm so worked up over losing Gourry like this. It's not like he's being held prisoner, or dead. He's just not here and I don't think he ever will be again. Lina get a hold of your self. Gourry is a grown man, if he wants to go and get married because of a stupid letter that's his right.

Why does he have to be such a jellyfish brain?

All the circular thinking was making me hungry, so I sat down and prepared to fish. I was happily minding my own business when I sensed a presence behind me. Listening to the crunch, tap, tap of their walk I figured I'd knew who was behind me, but better safe then sorry.

"Hello Xellos," I said, not bothering to turn around.

"You do have sharp ears Lina," he responded, sounding slightly surprised.

Hey, I'm not going to brag, but I do have an extremely good sense of hearing and an over-developed knack for knowing when trouble was brewing. I just didn't know why Xellos was here, unless it was to give me advice. Ugh. Just the thought made me blanch a little, but I shifted a couple of centimeters when he came to sit next to me.

"You know Lina," Xellos began, but I cut him off.

"Not now Xellos, I'm not in the mood."

I have to give him credit he stayed quiet for about five minutes before starting up again.

"Lina, you know Gourry loves you and that you love him."

"Xellos what! Where did you get that crazy idea from? Just because we've been partners for a while, I mean, I'll admit I care about Gourry, but love? That's just crazy!"

"Lina, Lina, Lina, when are you ever going to be honest with yourself?"

"Wait, did I just hear you correctly? Did you just talk about honesty?" I was sputtering with disbelief at this point. I mean Xellos talking about being honest? Mister Shhh-that's-a-secret himself?

"Now Lina, you wound me, I can be perfectly honest, when it suits my needs."

Argh, I had to literally smack my own forehead. This guy was just too much. I was just about to give him a piece of my mind when he leaned in close and put one finger on my lips. I was so surprised I stopped in mid gulp.

"Lina, are you going to tell me to mind my own business or keep denying you care about Gourry the way a woman cares about a man?"

I growled a little and tried to bite his finger, but he pulled it out of reach before I could snap my teeth together. The guy was fast, I have to give him that much credit.

"Listen Xellos, I know you probably came here to tell me that this is all a…actually why are you here? There's no reason for you to be coming to defend Gourry or convince me to go back, not unless it's some secret motive of yours."

"Ah, Lina, shrewd as ever, you're right, I'm not here to tell to go back to Gourry, I'm here to offer you some advice and propose another option."

Xellos with another option? This could be interesting.

"Okay Xellos, I'm willing to listen, but only after we catch some dinner. Here," I said, handing him my fishing pole while I went off to make another.

"Oh my, fishing….how quaint."

"Quit talking and get catching Xellos, I'm not discussing 'options' on an empty stomach."

"Whatever you say Lina."

And that's how Xellos and I ended up fishing quietly for a couple of hours, catching our dinner without further incident. I have to admit I was a bit surprised that Gourry hadn't found me yet, or the others, but I guess it just helped validate my first assumptions. Not that it didn't stop me from being lonely and if I'm going to be honest, missing him. I'd even be happy to listen to some asinine comment right about now.


End file.
